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City asked to remain vigilant in wake of devastating arsons

Firefighters continue to battle a fire in a 10 plex on 4th Ave E on Monday August 10, 2015 in Owen Sound, Ont. Fire crews from the Owen Sound Inter Township Fire Dept. and the Chatsworth Fire Dept. were called in at around 4am Monday to help the Owen Sound Fire Dept. battle multiple fires in the city. Officials say they are investigating 6 separate fire scenes in the city. James Masters/Owen Sound Sun Times/Postmedia Network

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Police have no suspects and are asking Owen Sound to remain vigilant after a rash of devastating fires that rocked the city early Monday morning.

At a news conference late Monday afternoon, police chief Bill Sornberger said it has been determined that the fires that burned early Monday morning were deliberately set, but they still had no suspects.

"We have someone out there responsible for these different fires," said Sornberger. "We need the public to be aware and to be vigilant of their location and to help us, and if they see something suspicious to call 911 right away."

A total of seven scenes were being investigated after a number of structures were damaged by fire and 15 residences had to be evacuated. Nobody was seriously injured.

Of the fires being investigated, the three major ones were in the area of 15th St. E. and 4th Ave. E.

A semi-detached home on 4th Ave. E. suffered significant damage both inside and outside. On 15th St. E. one home was severely damaged, while two adjacent homes also suffered significant fire and water damage, while a 10-plex on 4th Ave. E. was also heavily damaged.

Police and fire crews first responded to a fire at the former McKay Building at 944 2nd Ave. E. Sornberger said two small fires were located at that building and it was soon determined they had been deliberately set. Just before 4 a.m., police received a call about a fire at a home at 393 15th St. E. The other fires were soon found in the neighbourhood.

A fire at a shed in the 1500 block of 7th Avenue East is also being investigated, as is a vehicle fire.

A seventh site was later reported to police in which someone attempted to set a shed on fire on 6th Avenue East "within walking distance" of the other fires.

Sornberger said they would not be commenting on what was used to start the fires. He said police had no motive for any of the fires and he did not know if they were dealing with one person or multiple suspects. He said there was no connection between the properties that would suggest to police they were targeted.

Sornberger said police had interviewed a dozen people, were to interview more and were gaining information into possible leads. The business community supplied video to police. Anyone with information that could help police is asked to call them at 519-376-1234.

Sornberger urged the person or people responsible for the fires to turn themselves in.

"This is something that needs to be looked after," said Sornberger. "We need to put the community's mind at rest."

The public was being asked to keep their porch lights on, to keep dark alleyways lit where possible and to call police if they see or hear anyone in their back yards.

"Give us a call, let us come and check it out," said Sornberger. "We would rather be wrong than something else happen."

Sornberger credited everyone involved for helping out during the situation, including police, fire and the public. The Chatsworth and Inter Township Fire Departments were called in to fight the blazes.

"For the amount of destruction we are pretty pleased there was no loss of life in this," said Sornberger. "It is very serious."

The Ontario Fire Marshal's Office is assisting with the investigation.

Jeff Minten, supervisor of fire investigations with the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office, said a team of two supervisors and six investigators were at the scenes and will be looking at the evidence to attempt to determine the cause of the fires.

"At this point it would be speculative to assume anything," said Minten.

"For the ones we have gotten to so far it appears they are involving exterior homes or sheds."

Owen Sound Fire Prevention Inspector Greg Nicol said in a news conference at the Owen Sound fire hall Monday morning that it was like nothing he has seen before in Owen Sound.

"At this point this is something that is very new in our community," said Nicol. "We had a couple of major incidents over the winter that were similar, but very different."

"Obviously I haven't seen that in our community where we have three separate locations of fires at the same time."

Grey County emergency services took 10 people to hospital for minor smoke inhalation.

Mike Muir, Grey County's director of paramedic services, said a number of patients were treated at the scene and didn't need to go to hospital.

"We treated with oxygen and they were able to make their way on their own after that," said Muir, who added that some of the dwellings were family dwellings, so there were children involved.

"We had a number of patients from all ages," said Muir.

The Red Cross and Victim Services set up at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre to help those who are out of their homes. Residents from 15 homes and units had been displaced as of 9 a.m., Mayor Ian Boddy said.

Boddy thanked the Red Cross and Victim Services, as well as First Student Canada, which had buses available "almost immediately" to take people from the fire scenes to the Lumley-Bayshore. By late afternoon the evacuation centre at the Lumley-Bayshore had been closed.

Boddy called the situation "pretty upsetting."

Owen Sound Transit was being re-routed around the fire scenes and several roads remained closed late Monday afternoon, including: 15th St. E. between 3rd Ave. E. and 6th Ave. E.; 16th St. E. between 3rd Ave. E. and 4th Ave. E.; 4th Ave. E. between 13th St. E. and 16th St. E.; and 14th St. E. between 3rd Ave. E. and 4th Ave. E.